Official Luthiers Forum!

Any experience with yellow cedar as a soundboard? I am planning to build a OM body with mahogany sides and back.
Rich

I have no first hand experience, but from what i have been able to gather it is a better fit for a flat picking guitar rather than a chickin pickin one. I'm kind of curious myself and would probably try it on a larger body guitar if I do. I may very well be wrong. Anyone?

No personal experience with it but I've been told it's very similar to Cypress and would make better back & side sets. If it is Alaskan Yellow cedar that is. That said, several folks in here have used it for tops with good results. Here are the results within the forum.

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Bill Hodge


One does not simply, own enough guitars!

Yellow Cedar is a pleasure to work with, and has a great smell. I would choose a softer top wood for an OM with Mahogany back/sides. To me it's seems nothing like Red Cedar. It's slightly harder, and heavier than Adi. I've used it twice, once on a Slope D with Walnut back/sides, and once on a 000-12fret with Honduran Rosewood back/sides. The guitars sounded great, but take 3 to 5 minutes of playing to....warm up. Maybe the tops were a little too thick, but I had the stiffness where I wanted it.

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I didn't mean to say it, but I meant what I said.
http://www.brackettinstruments.com/

A really fine Luthier in my area Dennis MacPherson has used Yellow Cedar on parlor sized guitars and he is very pleased with it. He said to sand the top to sitka thinness to get the best sound. I went ahead and ordered a set and will probably start in mid Novermer. It usually takes me about 5 months to finish. Everyone will have forgotten about this by then but I will post my thoughts at that time.
Rich

I've used Alaskan Yellow Cedar on 2 guitars. It does have a great smell that I like alot.

I found it not as soft as Western Red Cedar.

The 2 guitars both worked out well. One especially is very nice. Lots of bass lots of balance.

I'd use it again.

Neil

This is the only picture I can find

Neil
What bracing pattern did you use? Martin style or something else?
Thanks- Rich

Here is a photo of my first Alaskan cedar topped Rubicon (Koa body) model circa 2003. It's a monster fingerstyle guitar and currently lives with Steve Hawkins in Portland, Oregon. I'm sure he'd converse with anyone regarding it's tone, volume, etc.
I'm currently building a 000-12 fret with the same wood combo and recently completed another guitar with Port Orford cedar on The Tree mahogany.

Comparison note: The Alaskan smells better!

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Hank Mauel